Renewable contact plate for journal box



May 26, 1959 F. E. BACHMAN RENEWABLE CONTACT PLATE FOR JOURNAL Box Filed Oct. 12, 1956 llll/[1111- IN VEN TOR.

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United States Patent RENEWABLE CONTACT PLATE FOR JOURNAL BOX Fred E. Bachman, St. Louis, Mo., assigner to American Steel Foundries, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of New Jersey Application october 12, 1956, serial No. 615,572`

1 claim. (ci. 30s- 54) This invention relates to railway car truck side frames and more particularly to side frames of the type having integral journal boxes formed therein.

The invention comprehends a journal box having a renewable contact plate retained against the underside of the top Wall or roof of the box and engageable with a wedge member seated on the journal bearing.

As is well known to those familiar with the art of railway car track construction, in the conventional journal box arrangements a/ semicylindrical sleeve or journal bearing is seated on an end portion of the axle and maintained in position by a wedge member interposed between the bearing member and the roof of the journal box. The wedge member serves two important purposes. It facilitates assembly of the unit by serving as a part of a two-piece bearing unit, for the outer axle flange would not permit the insertion into the journal box of a onepiece bearing unit of the size required to occupy the space 'between the top of the axle and the roof of the journal box. Also, the wedge serves to maintain the bearing surface in alignment with the axle surface as the axle angles relative to the side frame and/or journal box. Because the upper surface of the wedge is crowned, the wedge is free to angle to a limited extent within the journal box, and the bearing, which is interlockingly engaged with the wedge, is also aiorded freedom for angular movement relative to the journal box as the axle angles. It is essential that the bearing be afforded this freedom for angling movement with the axle in order to maintain it in alignment with the axle at all times.

Therefore, inasmuch as the wedge and bearing may be considered as an integral unit for all intents and purposes, in order for the bearing to be free to angle, the wedge must be free to angle relative to the journal box at all times.

A common problem in this respect is that constant shifting and other movements of the wedge causes the roof or ceiling of the journal box to wear to the extent that a depression or pocket is formed therein. lf this occurs, there is a strong possibility that the wedge will become lodged or locked within the pocket so that its freedom of movement is restricted to prevent with the result that when the axle angles relative to the journal Ibox, the bearing is not free to angle and misalignment occurs. This condition is very likely to result in improper weight distribution on the bearing which will eventually cause overheating of the parts.

With the increased speeds of modern freight cars this problem of journal box roof wear is becoming increasingly important, for the repair of this condition is both difficult and expensive.

In recent years, attempts have been made to repair the condition by welding a shim or liner plate to the roofs of worn boxes. One obvious fault with this method is that unequal clearances due to nonuniform Wear in different boxes requires plates of varying thicknesses for the various boxes to which they are applied; whereas, if the boxes were originally designed to accommodate renewable ice plates, worn plates could easily be replaced by new plates of a standard thickness.

It is therefore a primary object of this invention to provide a journal box arrangement adapted to afford relative uniform interior dimensions at all times.

Another object of the invention is to provide a journal box especially adapted to receive and retain renewable contact plates.

Another object of the invention is to provide a journal box with a renewable contact received in and maintained against the roof or ceiling thereof.

A further object of the invention is to provide a journal box having a wear plate retained in abutting engagement with the roof thereof and disposed in interlocking engagement with abutments presented by the side Walls of the box.

These and other objects of the invention will be apparent from an examination of the following description and drawings, wherein:

Figure l is a fragmentary side elevational View of an integral box side frame of the type to which my invention may be applied, only one-half of the frame being shown as it is symmetrical about its vertical center plane;

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary top plan view of a portion of the structure illustrated in Figure l;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary longitudinal vertical sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Figure 2; and

Figure 4 is a fragmentary transverse sectional view taken on line 4 4 of Figure 2.

It will be understood that certain elements have been intentionally omitted from certain views where they are illustrated to better advantage in other views.

Referring now to the drawings for a better understanding of the invention, it will abe seen that the novel device is shown as applied to a side frame indicated generally at 10. The side frame, as illustrated in the drawings is the type known as an integral journal box side frame and preferably comprises tension and compression members 12 and 13, respectively, which are spaced from each other intermediate their ends and interconnected intermediate their ends by a pair of vertical columns 14 (only one of which is shown) which define a bolster opening 15 therebetween.

The tension and compression members are merged at their outer ends to define journal boxes 16. Each journal box 16 comprises a generally ilat top wall 17 and a rounded bottom wall 18 which are interconnected by a pair of spaced integral side walls 19. As best seen in Figures 2 and 3, the side walls are provided intermediate their ends with oppositely facing inwardly extending bosses 23, the function of which is hereinafter described and explained.

The =box has rear and front openings 20 and 21, respectively, the rear opening permitting the entry of the axle into the joumal box. The forward portion of the top wall 17 may be provided with a hinge 22 to accommodate pivotal mounting of a plate (not shown) which covers the front opening 21.

The walls of the journal box define therebetween a chamber 24 having an interior roof or ceiling surface 26.

The journal box assembly includes an axle 28 having an end portion 32 disposed within the chamber 24 of the journal box. A small semicylindrical sleeve bearing 34 having a lower bearing surface 36 is disposed on the axle in bearing engagement `with surface 38 of the end portion of the axle. A wedge member 40 is mounted on the bearing member 34 in interlocking engagement therewith and presents a generally crowned upper surface 44 disposed adjacent a ceiling or roof 26 of the journal box chamber which is presented lby the underside of top wall 17.

Disposed between and in interlocking engagement with the side Wall bosses 23 and in abuttable engagement with the ceiling 26 of the box is a plate 50 which is relatively thin and flat and of substantially uniform thickness. The plate 50 is preferably formed of a metal alloy having much higher wear resistant qualities than the metal of which the side frame casting is formed.

As best seen in Figure 2, plate 50 is generally H- shaped and is provided at each end thereof with spaced shoulders or ears 52 which are disposed on opposite sides of adjacent wall bosses 23 to afford interlocking engagement between the plate 50 and the side walls.

Also, if it is desired, the plate 50 may be rigidly secured to the journal box roof by means of a plurality of welds 54 preferably disposed at the corners of the plate shoulders 52 adjacent the side wall bosses 23 to maintain the plate against the roof of the box at all times, especially during assembly of the box arrangement.

It will be readily apparent that by providing the interlocking engagement between the shoulders 52 of plate 50 with journal box side wall bosses 23 as a primary means of retaining the plate in proper position within the box, several advantages are obtained over other types of mounting and securing arrangements.

One -important advantage is that the plate need not, unless desired for convenience, be welded to the roof of the box. However, if it is desired to rigidly secure the plate in position to prevent its dropping down during assembly of the bearing and wedge elements of the journal arrangement, this can be effected by a few relatively small spot welds preferably disposed at the corners of the plate between the shoulders 52 of the plate and the bosses 23 of the box side walls. Thus removal of a worn plate can be easily and quickly accomplished by cutting or burning the welds 54, prying off the worn plate, and spot welding a new plate to the ceiling. It Will also be apparent that as the interlocking engagement between plate and side wall bosses serves as a primary retaining means for the plate, there is no need for the roof to be weakened by having a recess or depression formed therein to retain the plate. The elimination of such a plate receiving groove or depression serves to greatly strengthen the structure of the box.

Thus, it will be understood that by providing a journal box adapted to receive a renewable contact plate it is possible, by replacing the plate from time to time, to maintain a smooth even surface on the ceiling at all times so that the wedge member and bearing member are always afforded the freedom for angling movement within the journal box which is necessary to maintain perfect alignment between the axle and the bearing.

I claim:

In a journal box arrangement, a journal box having upper and lower walls interconnected by a pair of spaced side walls, said side walls presenting intermediate the ends thereof opposed inwardly extending bosses having vertically disposed faces; an axle disposed in the cavity formed between said walls; bearing means mounted on the axle; wedge means mounted on the bearing means; a renewable wearplate positioned against the underside of the upper wall and engageable with said wedge means, said wearplate comprising a body portion having a thickness less than one-third the thickness of the wedge means, said body portion being positioned with opposite ends thereof abutting related boss faces, said wearplate also comprising pairs of spaced ears extending beyond the abutting ends and disposed on opposite sides of the respective bosses to position the wearplate generally longitudinally with respect to the axis of the axle of the truck, the spaced ears of each pair being turned downward slightly toward the axle to facilitate proper assembly in said arrangement, said wearplate being secured in assembled position by readily removable tack welds interconnecting each of said ears to the journal box.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

